Lara Naki Gutmann: The "Jaws" Phenomenon Hiding in Plain Sight
While the cameras were fixated on the quad-jumping prodigies, a 23-year-old Italian law graduate quietly stole the show with a shark attack on ice. Here is the backstory you won't hear on the official broadcast.
You probably missed the moment Lara Naki Gutmann became the most interesting person in the Olympic Village. It wasn't during the medal ceremony, where Italy claimed a historic bronze in the Team Event. It was in the mixed zone, moments after her Free Skate, when she flashed a smile that said, "I told you so."
While everyone else was obsessing over rotation axes and under-rotations, I was watching the crowd's reaction to her program. They weren't counting revolutions; they were holding their breath. Why? Because nobody skates to Jaws. It’s an unwritten rule of figure skating: you skate to Carmen, you skate to Swan Lake, but you do not skate to a film about a man-eating shark unless you want the judges to eat you alive.
But Lara did. And she didn't just survive; she thrived.
The Shark on the Ice
Let's be real for a second. The choice of John Williams’ Jaws score wasn't just a quirky decision by her team; it was a calculated risk. Most skaters want to look like princesses or swans. Gutmann chose to be the predator. (And between us, seeing the judges tap their feet to that ominous "duunnn dun... duunnn dun" was the highlight of the week).
Sources close to the Italian federation whisper that her coach, Gabriele Minchio, knew they needed something to disrupt the algorithm. Lara isn't a jumping machine like the teenage phenoms. She’s an artist. She’s 23—ancient in skating years—and she brings a maturity that the 15-year-olds simply can't fake.
"I didn't want to just skate pretty. I wanted to bite." — Lara Naki Gutmann (Overheard in the mixed zone)
The Late Bloomer's Arc
To understand why this bronze medal feels like gold, you have to look at the numbers. Four years ago, Lara was a footnote. Today, she is the anchor of the Italian team. I pulled the data from the archives to show you just how wild this progression is:
| Season | Event | Result | Vibe Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Beijing Olympics | Team Event (Did not advance) | Anonymous |
| 2023 | Europeans | 8th Place | Solid, but safe |
| 2026 | Milano Cortina | Bronze Medal (Team) | Main Character Energy |
The Secret in the Name
Here is the detail that truly captivates me, the one rarely mentioned in the TV commentary. Her middle name, "Naki". It sounds exotic next to the Germanic "Gutmann", doesn't it?
It’s not a nickname. "Naki" is Ghanaian. It means "First Daughter". The story goes that a dear friend of her parents, a man from Ghana, suggested it as a lucky charm before she was even born. He passed away before meeting her, but the name stuck. Lara considers it her talisman. You can see it in how she carries herself—there is a sense of destiny there, a feeling that she is skating for more than just points.
👀 Is she actually a lawyer?
Almost! While training for the Olympics, Lara graduated in Legal Sciences from the University of Camerino. So yes, while other skaters are doing TikTok dances in the lounge, she is likely reading up on constitutional law. Talk about a double threat.
👀 Who is Chewbacca?
No, not the Star Wars character (well, yes, but also no). Chewbacca is her dog, and according to insiders, he is the only one allowed to critique her programs without getting a glare. He is arguably the most famous dog in Trento right now.
Why It Matters
Lara Naki Gutmann represents a shift. We are moving away from the era of "jump until you break" and back towards "skate until you feel". Her performance at Milano Cortina wasn't just about the bronze medal around her neck; it was a statement. You can start late. You can study law. You can skate to a shark movie. And you can still finish on the podium.
The algorithm didn't predict her. That's exactly why we can't look away.
